Our lovely receptionist Maria

Surgery: Common surgical procedures performed at Edgewater Animal Hospital include spays and neuters (ovariohysterectomy and orchidectomy), hernia repair, tumor removal and biopsy, abscess drainage, eyelid surgery, and knee surgery. Electrosurgery is also available which greatly reduces bleeding and pain.

Dentistry: About 75% of cats and dogs over 4 years of age have periodontal disease. This is not a benign disease as the plaque and tartar build-up is made up of bacteria and can be a source of pain and infection to the rest of the body. We offer professional dental prophylaxis and treatment which involves ultrasonic scaling and hi-speed polishing. If necessary, dental radiographs can be performed on-site to assess the health (or disease) of the tooth roots.

Anesthesia: Every anesthetic plan is tailored to fit each individual animal. For each case, every effort is made for the pet to go under “smoothly”, be maintained at the proper plane of anesthesia (not too deep or too light), and to also recover smoothly. There are different drugs to choose from, such as sedatives and analgesics, depending on the patient’s procedure and medical condition, . We have several local, topical, short-acting, inhalant gas, and reversible anesthetic protocols that provide the highest level of safety. In addition, vital signs are closely monitored when a pet is anesthetized. Despite this, there are no truly safe anesthetic drugs, only safe doctors.

Referrals: Dr. Kim is a general practitioner. He and the Edgewater Animal Hospital maintain good relationships with many specialists at the referral and specialty centers in New York and New Jersey. We are pleased to offer referrals to any specialty field necessary in order to provide the best medical care for your pet. If we cannot do it or not do it as well, we will recommend a referral to a specialist. Veterinary medicine has become ever so sophisticated that in many ways it parallels human medicine. Referrals are often made for cataract surgery, MRIs and CAT scans, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, skin testing for allergies, bone plating for fractures, back surgery for treatment of herniated discs, and even animal behavior consultations to treat problems like separation anxiety, aggression and house-soiling.

Carla at the Pharmacy

Laboratory: (see picture) The Edgewater Animal Hospital has an in-house laboratory where we can
test internal organ values like kidney, liver, pancreas, cholesterol, etc. as well as red and white blood cell abnormalities and platelet counts. We can obtain these results in as little as 15 minutes if necessary. Although not mandatory, we recommend testing a blood panel prior to anesthesia. The in-house lab is also very helpful when evaluating
emergency cases. Other samples are sent out to Antech, the nation’s leading veterinary lab; these results are usually available within 24 hours. Dr. Kim will also frequently use the Cornell University Diagnostic Laboratory at the Veterinary College (his alma mater), where he sometimes sends unusual pathology samples for interpretation.

Radiography- We can take and develop x-ray film of almost any part of the body in 10 minutes if necessary. Radiographic studies are excellent to evaluate things like heart size, the lungs, the abdomen as a whole, certain intestinal foreign bodies like coins and rocks, bladder and kidney stones, and the bones for fractures.

Ultrasound- a very powerful and noninvasive tool to obtain images of internal organs. Quite often superior to radiographs because it allows us to “see” inside the organ instead of the just the outlines. Considered the “gold-standard test” in diagnosing heart disease. For example, we can see inside the heart to see the blood and valves moving, measure heart wall thickness, see inside the liver at the gall bladder and to check for tumors that may be “hiding” inside instead of just on the surface. Small organs like the pancreas and adrenal glands are often missed on a radiograph whereas an ultrasound is more sensitive at picking up abnormalities. Further, we have the ability to obtain ultrasound guided biopsies of internal organs and tumors which avoids more invasive and painful procedures like exploratory surgery.

Endoscopy- nother noninvasive tool that can give us definitive answers to otherwise complex problems. This procedure involves using a flexible, fiber optic tube about a 1/4 to ½ inch in diameter to evaluate internal organs like the stomach, the small
intestines and colon, as well as the windpipe and lower airways. Endoscopy is considered the “gold-standard” in diagnosing stomach and esophageal, ulcers. Moreover, small forceps can be placed inside the endoscope to obtain noninvasive biopsies of the lining of the stomach and intestines, and sometimes the nasal passages. These forceps are also handy in grasping and removing foreign bodies that might be
stuck in the throat or stomach thereby sparing the patient a major surgical procedure. The use of endoscopy is critical in diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease and sometimes nasal discharge and excessive sneezing problems.